washing marijuana buds

There are many thoughts on the best way to treat weed to achieve the best harvest results. While some are of the opinion that there is no need for treatments such as bud washing, others are adamant that it is important to clean your weed. Well, not to worry as this article contains all you need to know about bud washing and why it is important. In this article, we will also address fears of this process being counterproductive and also highlight possible pros and cons of the process.

At the end of this article, you should be able to say whether bud washing is a worthwhile process to get the desired results from weed or not.

What is Bud Washing?

You will not be wrong if you consider bud washing as the act of cleaning cannabis flowers by immersing them in water after harvest. While this forms the foundation of the process, there is so much to bud washing asides from dipping cannabis buds in water for cleaning. The root of this process need not be traced far as most agricultural produce like vegetables and edibles go through a process of cleaning before use. Agricultural produce bought from the stores and those from home gardens are usually washed alike to remove soil particles and contaminants present during the flowering phase. Cannabis buds too are no different.

Any seasoned cannabis grower knows there are numerous living and non-living entities that interact with the cannabis plant during the flowering phase. From soil particles, dirt, crawling insects, and pesticide residues numerous contaminants attach to sticky cannabis flowers. It will therefore be unwise to use your cannabis buds while they contain these contaminants as they will affect the taste and effectiveness. These contaminants are both common to cannabis flowers grown indoors and outdoors which means there is a need to clean every and any type of weed before use.

Will bud washing have undesirable effects on the buds?

Due to low awareness of the importance of bud washing, different notions have been flying around about it being counterproductive. These notions though well-meaning are far from the truth. One such notion is that the important cannabinoids ad terpenes in the matrix of the cannabis plant will be lost while immersed in water. With this, it is believed that buds that go through bud washing will lack the desired taste and effect due to the loss of cannabinoids. These notions are not true and there are credible reasons to debunk them.

The important cannabinoids in weed such as THC and CBD are hydrophobic and fat-soluble. This means that when cannabis flowers are dissolved in water, they cannot be dissolved in the water. Likewise, terpenes that play a huge role in the taste and aroma of weed are attached to sticky resins in the plant. This means that if the process is carefully and properly done, it cannot be lost. This debunks the belief that bud washing is a counterproductive process that can lead to undesirable effects on the buds.

How to clean your weed

We have spoken extensively about why it is important to clean your weed. The next thing is to now go into the nitty-gritty of the process. Some growers use water basically to clean their weed while others use specific formulas for more deliberate reasons. Here are some of the common solutions in use for bud washing by some growers.

Lemon and Baking Soda – The acidity of lemon and alkalinity of baking soda make them a good solution to deodorize spills and clean buds effectively without using synthetic products.
Diluted Hydrogen Peroxide – It contains antimicrobial properties which makes it effective in removing microbes such as bacteria that may be lingering on the cannabis buds.
Reverse Osmosis Water – This is the best type of water to be used for bud washing as it passes through a semipermeable membrane to remove molecules that can contaminate the buds.

In summary, if you want to proceed with bud washing after harvest, you will need clean buckets (3× 5-gallon), 45 liters of room temperature water (reverse osmosis water if possible), ¼ cup of baking soda, and ¼ cup of lemon juice.

Step 1

Arrange the clean buckets in a production line style. The first bucket will contain the cleaning solution while the second bucket will contain the first rinsing solution. The last bucket will contain the second rinsing solution. The buckets with the rinsing solutions serve as the rinsing stations along the production line.

Step 2

Fill each bucket with 4-gallons of reverse osmosis water which is enough to wash the buds without splashing the water around. Add the measured quantity of baking soda and lemon juice to the first bucket and stir properly. This serves as the cleaning solution to commence washing of the buds.

Step 3

Dip a branch bearing buds into the first bucket and swirl for 30 seconds. Move the branch to the second bucket and just like the first bucket, dip the branch in the bucket and swirl for 30 seconds. Finally, move the branch to the third bucket, dip, and swirl for 30 seconds to remove all traces of debris and the first solution.

Step 4

Remove each bud from the branch before drying in a herb dryer. Another alternative is to dry the entire branch by hanging it from a drying line. Proceed to dry the weed in a dark room with good ventilation and desirable relative humidity of 45-55%. Afterward, commence the curing process to improve the flavor of the buds more. This prolonged drying period is one of the notable cons of bud washing. If the moisture is not properly done, it can lead to the growth of molds which is deleterious to the weed.

Bottom line

Bud washing is a unique process that is very important for the safety and health of every cannabis user. While the act might the low in awareness now, it is already catching on and soon it is sure to be a process being engaged in by all and sundry.